New Federal Air Pollution Rules Could Halt Coal Power Plant

Changes in federal air-pollution rules could put a Sandersville coal-powered plant on hold. That's what a spokesman for Power for Georgians said at a press conference Monday.

"We don't know what it will mean or not mean." says Dean Alford, spokesman for Power for Georgians was referring to the new green house gas rule that could come out this week.

"It can make the project move forward, it could slow it down or it could bring it to a halt. Until we know what the rules are it's hard to say."explains Alford.

Several published reports say the new Environmental Protection Agency rules are intended to block the production of new coal plants unless they use new, more expensive technology. Something Katherine Cummings says Plant Washington couldn't afford."It's a dollar and cents, how are they going to pay for it? Who's going to buy the product? This product is already too expensive." says Cummings.

She's not for the clean coal plant setting up shop in Sandersville."The air quality issues, and the impact it would have on our community and our health, none of that works out to be a benefit for us." says Cummings.

But Alford says the economic impact is beneficial to the community."1600 construction jobs, over 120 jobs at the site another 200 in surrounding communities, probably overall about 500 jobs for the state so it's significant by all definitions." explains Alford.

He says they were expecting the new green house rules to come down in April, and would have been close to breaking ground on the plant."Instead the president came out in June of this year and said we're going to start over. So based on that we're having to go back to square one almost like it was April 2012 again." says Alford.

Power for Georgians has asked the state for a permit extension until the new green house gas rules are revealed. They can either grant an extension up to eighteen months or they can reject it.

Alford says the Environmental Protection Agency is projected to release green house rules for the existing coal power plants in October.